Family Tree
by Jane Bennett
Summary: What if Klaus gave his daughter to Caroline instead of Rebekah? Klaus calls Caroline every day to inquire after Hope. Caroline tells him everything, well, almost. How will Klaus react when he finally visits the two after years? How will Hope react when she finds out that her father is an original hybrid? And how will Caroline react when he is close enough to touch? No Hayley.
1. Chapter 1

_Hello everyone!_

_So, I am still wondering how this happened - me writing about the magical mystical baby, because I personally don't like that idea and the name is just too much clichee, but it is totally okay if you like it, because otherwise you probably wouldn't read this story!;)_

_So, how did I get the idea?I watched a fanmade video on YouTube where Klaus gave the baby to Caroline instead of Rebekah and that was when I started to wonder: Mh, how would that story go on? (If whoever made the video is reading this then I want to let you know that you did an awsome job!)  
_

_There will be no Hayley in this story and I don't know yet how long it will be, probably 3 or 4 chapters.  
It will be rather fluffy than dark. Typical family stuff, about how Klaus gets to know his daughter and advances on his feelings for Caroline.  
I changed a bit of the canon of the finale of TVD (Stefan and Bonnie are dead, but Damon isn't), but that will not affect the story any further. I just mention it once.  
_

_I hope you will like this short story! (Sorry for the mistakes I made!)  
_

* * *

Caroline laughed shifting her phone from one ear to the other.

"You really shouldn't do that!"

"_Oh, love, you have no idea of how much fun you're missing."_

"Oh believe me I am having enough fun in my life."

There was a chuckle and a short moment of breakable silence on the other end. It was as if Caroline predicted the question that would follow her statement. She knew him well by now.

"_How is she?"_

Caroline smiled into the receiver. "She's great!" And she did mean that exactly like her happy tone implied. "Wait a second!" She stood up and walked through the small kitchen into the hallway where she held the phone up into the air towards the staircase. Due to his impeccable hearing he would hear every noise, just like as if he was standing next to her.

Caroline smiled lovingly while she listened to the humming from upstairs.

"_Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are mh mh mh mh…"_

"Did you hear that?" She asked excited, while she walked back into the kitchen to look at their small green garden in the suburb where they were living. A cat jumped over the white picket fence and examined the colourful flowers in one of the flowerbeds.

"_I did."_ Klaus agreed and was silent for another moment. The atmosphere was suddenly heavy. He seemed to gulp.

"And again this is why I am better with kids than you are." She joked to take the edge away from the silence that was heavy with meaning. "You could have never taught her that song!"

"_Forgive me, but I have an excellent voice."_

"When it comes to threats!"

"_You spoil her too much! She'll be too weak to survive."_

Caroline rolled her eyes at the familiar argument that he never got tired of telling her. "Oh my god, Super Nanny, she's a kid! Totally right decision to give her to me!"

She paused and smiled when Klaus simply agreed with a sigh which meant that their conversation was coming to an end. _"I know."_

Caroline pouted. His voice was low and warm and Caroline had started to miss him at some point. She would have loved to be able to wrap herself into his sexy British accent like she snuggled under her comfortable blanket at night. "Are you going to stop by any time soon?"

When she closed her eyes, she could imagine that he was standing right next to her and whispering into her ear, instead of being thousands of miles away.

He sighed. _"As soon as I can, love."_

She opened her eyes. "It's been five years." It was a bitter sweet statement.

When had she started to miss him that much? When had she started to dream about him taking her into his strong arms and never let her go again?

"_I know."_ Another heavy sigh. _"I'll call you later tonight, okay?"_

"Yeah, take care."

At some point between all those frequent phone calls and a look into the sweet blue eyes of the little girl upstairs, she started to care deeply, she answered her own questions.

"_Caroline."_ Before she could hang up Klaus called her name once more. She quickly raised the phone back to her ear. Her heart pounded and was almost afraid that he would finally say something meaningful or something caring.

"Yes?"

Since that day in the forest, she had never heard him say anything else about their future or his feelings towards her.

Nothing!

And now that Caroline felt herself getting more and more involved with him, she also felt that she cared about him more and more day by day. But she didn't know anymore what he was thinking and she was too afraid to ask.

Maybe he eventually got over her.

The silence seemed to stretch out like an eternity while she waited for his answer.

Her mouth was dry.

"_Do you really miss me that much?"_

Her face fell. Despite her hopes he didn't have that caring, loving tone she wanted to hear, but a smug and mocking one, as if he enjoyed fooling her and maybe he did. Maybe he didn't even realise that he did it.

Caroline scoffed and groaned. "Get over yourself!" She snapped and hung up on him, but when she looked at the phone in her hand she chuckled and a smile settled down on her lips.

These phone calls were so constant that Caroline didn't know how to live without them anymore. She put the phone onto the kitchen table where she would definitely hear it, if it rang again.

When he had called her five years ago to ask her for a huge favour, she had never thought that she could do it; that she would be able to care for a child.

She had been at a crossroads of her life back then.

Stefan had just died and Bonnie too. Elena had eloped with Damon who suffered severely from the loss of his brother and since she never wanted to see Tyler ever again, it had left her alone. So it had been fairly easy to abandon her life.

But a child! A small innocent human being! What if she screwed up?

How could Klaus have so much faith in her?

Her mother and Matt were the only people she still talked to frequently. Her mother had not been a fan of her plan, but when Klaus had begged her she couldn't say no and leave the innocent girl out in the open without any protection.

Besides it was _his_ _child_.

It was _his_ daughter.

And to top it all of, everyone knew that he was incapable of raising a child.

The beginning was horrible though!

But luckily she had gotten help from another part of the family; from the only part of the family that she had dared to ask for help. Since then everything fell into place and after a short while it felt natural to have a baby girl. It turned out that she was capable. And Klaus never failed to call to inquire after her.

And Caroline told him everything.

Sometimes they would talk for hours and Caroline would tell him every tiny detail about all the small progresses that his little girl made.

She did tell him everything.

Small feet tripped down the stairs then and she smiled at the soft sounds that carried almost inaudibly to her ear.

"Mummy!"

Well, she told him _almost_ everything.

"What is it honey?"

A small girl with long light brown hair entered the kitchen. She scrunched up a cute snub nose.

"I am hungry."

Caroline chuckled. "Oh no!" She gasped playfully putting her hand in front of her mouth. "Then we certainly have to do something about that. What would you like to have?"

Hope tilted her head. "Can I have pasta?"

"SpagBol with a little bit of blood in the sauce?"

Her eyes lit up and her head bobbed up and down excitedly while she stepped forward and wrapped her small arms around her legs. Caroline smiled warmly and patted her head.

"Coming right up."

When she hadn't eaten as a baby Caroline had outright panicked and started to doubt her decision to be able to take care of a child. However, she couldn't abandon her, so she had pulled herself together and gone to ask for help.

It had been pouring and she had needed days to find out where she was, but she had found her eventually, thanks to Matt.

When Rebekah had found Caroline and the small crying bundle in front of her doorstep, she had been confused at first, but as soon as she had noticed that it was her brother's child, she had opened her door wide to the wet and miserable couple outside.

They had figured out together that Hope needed blood and food. Caroline had been shocked and relieved at the same time, but she should have expected that Hope was not normal. She was in fact an extraordinary child.

She grew like every other child and her vampire or hybrid senses or whatever she was about to become only developed slowly day by day. Her strength, her hearing and her speed; and her wounds wouldn't heal immediately.

Once she had come home with a cut on her knee, it hadn't looked bad at all, it had just been a small cut, but it didn't heal immediately.

On the contrary.

It got worse first. It started to infect itself and yellow pus seeped out of it. Hope had been crying so much and Caroline had tried everything she could. But then over the night, it had suddenly simply healed up completely. However, Caroline had never been more worried about her.

She actually had been worried from the first moment on when Hope had called her 'mummy'. Hope had looked at her out of her huge puppy dog eyes and Caroline couldn't tell her that she wasn't her mummy.

And even Rebekah had agreed with her.

Hope should grow up as normal as possible.

And together Caroline and Rebekah made sure that she did.

Hope was all excited about finally being allowed to go to school. She was smart and she knew that she was different than the other kids; that she was different than her best friend Flo who was living next door and that she couldn't tell anyone.

**Five years later**

"Hello? Anyone home?"

"Kitchen!" Caroline answered unnecessarily because Rebekah knew exactly where to find her. She just wanted to loudly make her presence known.

She smiled when she entered the kitchen. "Hey C."

"Hey, you okay?"

Before Rebekah could answer, two little pair of feet scurried over the floor upstairs. Her niece came running downstairs and into the kitchen. She didn't really have vampire speed yet, but it was obvious that she was getting faster every day. "Aunti Bekah!"

The small girl jumped into her open arms.

"Oh my, you're getting too big for this! How are you?"

"Great!" Hope smiled and licked her lips biting them. She stared at Rebekah with wide eyes and swayed from side to side. "Did you bring me something?" She asked in that super sweet tone, refering to the promise Rebekah had given her.

Rebekah grinned and rummaged through her bag. "Mh, did I…Oh I think I forgot!"

Hope stomped her foot angrily. "Aunt Bekah! You promised!" She crossed her arms and pouted sadly.

Rebekah grinned and winked. "I know." Then she pulled a package of crayons out of her purse and Hope squealed grabbing the colours. "Awsome! Thank you!"

She raced out of the kitchen and up to her room.

The two women smiled and chuckled after her stormy exit.

"It's amazing how much she loves to paint." Rebekah said.

"I know."

"It's a bit weird though, isn't it?"

Caroline laughed. "I am glad that she has inherited the good traits."

Rebekah chuckled. "True."

"Last week I took a picture from her and send it to him." Caroline explained, carefully checking that Hope wouldn't hear her.

"I never thought that he could care so much!" Rebekah shook her head. She had never believed that she would ever see that side of her big brother ever again. It gave her hope that maybe one day he would forgive her eventually.

"I know. I almost think that he has changed. I have a totally different picture of him, now that he isn't threatening anyone of my friends anymore and I don't have to watch him kill anyone. He was so desperate when he asked for my help and he still calls every day!"

"Careful Caroline, you are drowning in the deep end of the pool!"

Caroline blushed slightly, but she knew that she couldn't hide it from Rebekah who had secretly always believed that Nik and Caroline would happen someday.

"You still aren't talking, are you?" Caroline asked instead of admitting to anything.

Rebekah shook her head and a sad look crossed her eyes. "No."

"How's Matt?" Caroline changed the subject.

Rebekah's lips rose into a smile. "Great. I am so much more aware having him around, you know, because he is human."

Caroline poured them both a cup of tea while she kept on talking to Rebekah like the good friend she had become. "Did you talk about turning him?"

"We did, but you know…it's difficult."

Caroline smiled. She knew that Matt wanted to be with Rebekah, but he was also afraid of dying and letting go of his human life.

"I am glad that you are raising her." Rebekah said suddenly out of the context.

Caroline sat down in front of her and smiled. "Thanks for your support. I really couldn't do it without you."

Rebekah smiled genuinely and only a second later Hope appeared again. "They are awesome!" She threw herself at her aunt again. "Thank you so much!"

Rebekah laughed almost toppling over. "You're welcome!"

"Did you know that I am the best in my art class?" Hope told her excitedly.

"No!?" Rebekah answered with a bright grin.

"Yes!" Hope replied excitedly. "And Savannah is so jealous!"

"Is she?"

"Yes." And then Hope started rambling about Savannah, who she didn't like at all. Rebekah and Caroline listened attentively and occasionally made a remark. They both adored her and wondered how one couldn't.

Finally Hope asked. "Where is Uncle Matt?"

Rebekah smiled. "You do like him, don't you?"

She nodded. "He's cool!"

Suddenly there was a knock at the back door that led straight to the kitchen.

"It's open." Caroline called.

A dark haired boy stuck his head through the door. "Hi Mrs Forbes."

"Hello Flo. How are you?"

"Fine, M'am. Hope, wanna come out and play ball?"

"Sure." She jumped off the chair and raced for the door, before she was gone, however, she called: "By the way mum, you need to go see Mrs Clark! See you later!"

"What? Hope! We gonna talk about that later young lady!" Caroline replied loudly.

Rebekah started to laugh out loud. "This mother role is so your thing!"

"Flo calls me M'am!" Caroline explained. "Do I look like a M'am? I have to go to teachers and meet up with other parents and I never got how hard it was to be a single mum! My mother was rarely there and I just realise how hard it is to have the responsibility all alone." She sighed.

"You're doing a perfect job! And you have me and Matt!"

"I know." Caroline nodded, but looked seriously at Rebekah then. "She asked me about her dad."

Rebekah's eyes widened. "What did you tell her?"

"I didn't know what to tell her! I told her that he loves her and that he has important things to do and cannot see her, but that she will understand everything when she is old enough."

"Do you think that was clever?"

"What should I have told her? I certainly couldn't tell her that he died or that he is a serial killer, let alone murderous Hybrid King of New Orleans! She asked me if Matt could be her dad!"

Rebekah sighed and took her hand. "It'll be fine!"

"Klaus will kill me if he finds out that I let her go to school."

"Thank god that you do! She is growing up like a normal kid and she needs a healthy social environment meaning; she needs to interact with kids in her age. She needs to be able to relate to them and feel like everyone else!"

"Did you read those parents' guidebooks again?"

"Did you know that it is very important for them to have a rebel phase?"

Caroline laughed.

* * *

_So, I would like to know what you think.=)_

_Thanks for reading!_


	2. Chapter 2

**Another year later**

"So, did you defeat them?"

"_They won't dare to show their heads around here anymore."_ Klaus said proudly.

Caroline was silent and meanwhile Klaus could practically hear how her thoughts wandered. He had gotten so used to her that he could practically read her thoughts by now. _"What is it, love?"_

"I am not sure, but honestly, sometimes I miss the exciting times. Sometimes I miss walking around vampires and werewolves. Sometimes I miss being who I am."

"_You of all people Caroline!" _Klaus joked referring to her humanity that she had not lost throughout all those years, no matter what had happened, she was still the only vampire he knew who was still so close to being human after so many years. Maybe that was why he wanted her so much, because she was something that he was not. And it was definitely the reason why he believed that his daughter was in the best hands.

"It's crazy, isn't it?"

"_Maybe not as much as you think it is. How is Hope handling herself?" _

"You know that she needs blood just as much as food, but she has no problem at all controlling bloodlust. She can walk with a group of hurt kids without even flinching."

"_You let her out of the house?"_

"Klaus, she is a kid and not a thing that you can put in a closet!"

"_But…"_

"No buts! It's even more suspicious if I lock her up! She would start to rebel and escape and what then!?"

"_Then…"_

"No! I am not going to lock her up!" Caroline snapped.

Stupid paranoid hybrid!

What the hell was he thinking?

"_Caroline…"_ Klaus said warningly, but Caroline heard steps and quickly cut him off again.

"I need to go. I'll call you again. Take care!"

Hope entered the living room just a second later and Caroline gulped.

Had she heard something?

"Mum, can I ask you a question?"

"Sure, sweetie."

Hope stalled and Caroline tilted her head. "Do you have a boyfriend?"

Caroline chuckled lightly. She put her arm around Hope's waist and pulled her onto her lap. "Whatever gave you that idea?"

"I was just wondering." But Hope pursed her lips and Caroline got that she didn't want to tell her, however, Caroline knew the gossip about her.

"Did someone say something stupid?"

Hope was still stalling. "No…"

"Savannah's mum?" Caroline guessed and Hope finally nodded with a sigh.

Caroline rolled her eyes. Of course people were talking, because she was raising a kid on her own. Especially people like Mrs Nettlestone. She was part of the upper part of society where they knew everything and talked about everyone. Say one wrong word, behave out of the ordinary once, be a single mum and you were labelled for the rest of your life.

Caroline had never wanted to be like her mother, but eventually she figured that their lives were more similar than she wished they were. Caroline caressed Hope's hair. "No, I don't have a boyfriend, but I'll let you in on a little secret: that is perfectly fine, because Savannah's mum is simply jealous."

"Jealous?"

"Jealous, because she doesn't have someone like your aunt as a help and I am not alone, I have you, right?"

"Yes, but…"

Jealous; was that one of those adult's excuses?

Hope didn't dare to say that out loud, because she didn't want to argue with Caroline about the topic. She surely wasn't overly convinced that it didn't bother her mum at all. Hope looked at her face, at the same eyes that she had caught lighting up when her phone rang; the phone that she practically carried with her twenty four/seven. And those were the same eyes she caught looking sad after she had hung up again. But Hope had never figured out who was on the other end of the line. At first she hadn't thought about it much, because she had assumed that it was just some friend, but lately she got the notion that the person must be really important.

She started to play around with some strands of her hair. "Who are you always talking to on the phone?" She arched her eyebrows.

Caroline felt suddenly caught off guard. As if she was standing in the middle of a stage in a spotlight. "An…old friend."

"Form your college times?" Hope offered and Caroline jumped at that.

"Yes. Yes, we met at college and we cannot see each other, because he lives in Louisiana and has a lot of work to do, but we keep in touch."

"Mh…" Hope nodded. She wondered if she minded, if her mum found a partner? Since she always has had a wild imagination her romantic brain already concocted the perfect heartbreaking story about an unhappy college love; that her mum was still in love, but he only wanted to stay friends and has meanwhile married someone else and had her kid…Hope almost sighed out loud then.

When she caught her mum staring at her with amusement Hope remembered the original reason why she wanted to talk to her. "Can I go to Sara's birthday party on Friday? She's having a sleepover. Can I? Pretty please!?"

"Okay, but I'll call Sara's mum tomorrow for the details."

"Oh mum!" Hope groaned.

"I just want to make sure that you are safe!"

"I am no baby anymore!" She complained.

"Yes, you are my precious baby!" Caroline cuddled her fiercely and Hope laughed. "And I love you so much."

"I love you too." She answered and Caroline felt warm inside. She had grown to love this girl so much that she didn't want to think about what would happen if Klaus finally visited them, in fact she didn't even wasted a thought about it. As much as she wanted to see him again, at the same time she somehow wished that he would never come or that maybe, maybe, in a sick and twisted way he would still have enough feelings for her to be able to forgive her and come up with a good solution for all of them.

"Wanna watch a movie?" Caroline asked to rid herself from those disturbing thoughts.

"Yes!" Hope said enthusiastically.

The phone started ringing again.

Hope watched how Caroline's head flew around as if it had already become a basic reflex reaction. Caroline bit her lip and her fingers itched to press the green button to hear his voice again, but she knew that he wouldn't tell her what she wanted to hear right now. So, she gathered her strength and decided to ignore it for now. She smiled forcefully at Hope, while she told her that it could wait.

Hope swallowed. This was so tragically romantic, she thought, thinking about the story she made up.

**Nine months later**

Caroline parked the car on the street in front of her small white house. Humming a cheery tune she got out of the car and performed an unsteady dance, when she had almost dropped her keys clumsily after closing the door. Oops!

She got the shopping out of the trunk and started to walk to the front door. One of her neighbours waved at her and she waved light heartedly back. Today was a good day!

She had gotten everything on her list and she was looking forward to having two hours to herself to do whatever she felt like doing.

Maybe she could…

When she was half way through the front garden she startled and dropped the shopping bag, when she saw a figure hidden by one of the front posts sitting on the porch. Various things suddenly happened simultaneously at a tearing pace.

Rebekah and her had mapped out an emergency plan that immediately came into force should someone ever discover their hideout and with that Hope's location. While her shopping fell towards the ground Caroline's brain went rapidly through all the details and she waited for some kind of loud noise.

But the shopping bag never hit the ground, because someone caught it with inhuman speed and Caroline jerked even more, because she wasn't used to vampire speed anymore.

"Didn't mean to scare you, love." He showed her a row of white teeth.

Caroline froze and her heart threatened to jump right out of her chest.

"Klaus!"

"Hello Caroline." Her name on his tongue let her shiver. Her heart pumped even faster, when his scent hit her nose and she tried to hold on to any coherent thought. She held her breath, when she suddenly fell into two deep blue pools. She had totally forgotten how handsome he was and now it hit her like a truck with full speed. Her mind went totally blank, as if the film strip just ripped apart in the cinema and she couldn't say or do anything. She just stood there like a gaper at the scene of a crime. It was almost painful.

Klaus smirked. Just like she remembered him to always do so. "You look well."

"You too." She whispered with a dry throat.

Klaus chuckled. "I take it that you are surprised."

She blinked and tried to become master of her senses again. "I…yes, yes…a heads up would have been nice." As soon as she said it out loud she realised that it really would have been nice. Everything was about to change now! Her whole life would change, everything she just established! And suddenly Caroline shivered out of a totally different reason. What if this was the beginning of the end of her life with Hope?

He was here!

And he had no idea!

Klaus smiled.

He was like a soldier who was supposed to be dead, but had suddenly returned alive and well.

While Caroline was trying to hide her sudden panic, there was a shout soaring through the air from out of the neighbour's garden. _"No! You idiot!"_ A ball landed on the green grass a couple of feet next to them. _"Now I am gonna get it back!"_

"_Sorry!"_

Oh no! Caroline held her breath. Hope, stay where you are!

A wooden plank of the fence was pushed to the side and a girl slipped through the hole and ran towards the ball.

Too late!

She didn't notice the adults at first and Klaus simple petrified. He just stared at the girl who looked so much like him. His mouth dropped open.

Caroline watched him nervously. She cleared her throat. "Honey?"

Hope looked up. "Oh, you're back!" She smiled but it faded when she saw Klaus who stood totally still, eyes fixed on her. She arched her eyebrows looking from Caroline to Klaus.

"Hope, this is Niklaus Mikaelson." Caroline carefully presented watching every reaction of both of them. "He is an old friend of mine." She quickly explained and Klaus shot her an irritated look, but Caroline motioned for him to be quiet. Whatever he was about to do, she had to make sure that he wouldn't cause any trauma.

"Nice to meet you. I'm…"

"Hope!" Flo called and stuck his head through the hole in the fence. "What's taking so long?"

"Coming!" She quickly replied running towards him. "I'm Hope. Can I have dinner at Flo's?"

"No Hope, we're having a guest tonight!" Caroline was suddenly back in her comfortable parent mode. Hope paused, before she slipped back through the fence.

"But, mum! Please!"

If Klaus had looked shocked before, he looked utterly defeated right now.

"Don't be rude! You know I can't stand that!"

"Yes, mum." Hope groaned and was about to disappear again into Flo's garden.

"Hope!?" Caroline said sharply with her hands on her hips.

She stuck her head back through the fence. "Excuse me, Mr Mikaelson." Klaus visibly shuddered at the distant address. He wasn't sure what he had expected, but this was certainly not it.

Caroline nodded at her and she was gone.

She smiled nervously gripping her shirt tightly between her fingers. "Mh, kids. You know."

Klaus narrowed his eyes and she couldn't tell if he was angry or not.

"I guess I have to tell you something." Caroline mumbled.

"Indeed I think you do…_mum_!?"

Caroline motioned for him to follow her into the kitchen then. She closed the back door behind her. Klaus dropped the shopping bag on the counter and Caroline started to unpack it to have something to do.

Klaus crossed his arms and waited for her to finally start telling him what was going on.

"Would you mind stopping that?"

Caroline sighed and faced him. She was confused and her emotional train just ran off the rails, so she got immediately defensive. "What was I supposed to do? Tell her that I am not her mother? It would have crushed her, Klaus! She is such a great girl and I love her and…"

"You let her play with a human!"

Caroline scoffed. "She goes to a human high school."

"What!?" He burst out loudly.

"Yes, Klaus she goes to school. She goes to birthdays. She goes to dancing competitions. She does everything a normal kid does!"

"She's not normal!" He told her defiantly.

"But she wants to be!"

"I told you to keep her safe!" He snapped.

"And she is, isn't she?"

"You're exposing her!"

"I am raising a child and I am doing a bloody good job!" Caroline yelled and forced her angry hot tears back down her throat. She had endured it all; all the gossip from the other parents who thought her too young to raise a kid on her own or who simply pitied her for it. Her hands balled into fists. She didn't need it from him now, he was the last person to jump to any wrong assumptions.

Klaus stepped closer, just like he did with his enemies that he threatened.

"I am not so sure about that!"

Her nails dug painfully into her palms by now and she suddenly smelled blood. Her nostrils flared and she felt her fangs push against her gums because she hadn't fed for hours. Caroline got really defensive now. He had no idea about children. He had no idea how hard it was!

She also stepped closer and she suddenly vamped out and snarled. "I know what's best for my daughter!"

Klaus was taken aback. His eyes widened and his mouth hang open with a reply that wouldn't come, while he tried to grasp what was happening.

Caroline gasped, shocked about herself the minute she realised what she just said. Her fangs retreated and she put her hands in front of her mouth. "Sorry." She mumbled. "I'm sorry, I didn't…"

The door opened. "Mum?"

Klaus watched in awe how Caroline quickly got control over herself again and smiled for the girl as if nothing had happened. For his daughter.

"Hey, hun. Come here." Caroline put her hands onto her shoulders and sought comfort in the small gesture. As relaxed as possible she went on: "I want you to meet Niklaus." She wanted Hope to get to know him by his birth name without any prejudices.

No Klaus, No Nik, just Niklaus.

Hope smiled then stepped forward extending her hand politely. "Hi."

Klaus hesitantly took her hand and he looked as if he expected a jolt of energy, a spark of lighting or a roll of thunder, but nothing happened. "Hello Hope." His voice had suddenly lost its volume.

"You've got a cool accent." She simply stated and Klaus raised his eyebrows.

"He grew up in England. Right?" Caroline jumped in.

"Yes." Klaus answered, still somehow not master of his senses again.

"Honey, why don't you get yourself cleaned up? We'll have dinner in an hour."

"Okay." Hope grabbed an apple from the counter on her way out of the kitchen.

Klaus looked at her retreating figure. "You seriously attached yourself to her." He sounded surprised now, not angry, just astonished.

Caroline chuckled humourlessly. "Of course I did! You know me, Klaus! You must have known that I would. I have been through so much with her already!"

"But she's not yours." He looked at her and knew he'd said the wrong thing. Tears welled up in her eyes, but Klaus couldn't stop asking the next question. "Why not tell her who I really am?"

Her voice was thick. "You can't just drop a bomb like that on her. You have to be considerate! If you tell her the truth just like that, she will hate you and we both don't want that!" She wiped her tears away and suddenly Klaus felt odd. He felt bad. He didn't want to see her cry. He didn't want to be the reason why she was crying.

Hours earlier he had been positively excited to see her again and right now everything was so messed up.

"Are you staying for a few days? If you want her to know, than she needs to get to know you first."

Klaus looked at her and tried to see through her scheme, but he couldn't. He frowned considering and finally nodded. "I'll stay."

"Good."

"Mummy, I need you to sign this!" Hope entered with wet hair and Caroline quickly wiped the last traces of tears away, but Hope had already seen it and stopped. "Are you crying?"

"No, hun, I am okay. What's this?" Caroline cleared the teary lump in her throat, but Hope pursed her lips and looked suspiciously and maybe even angrily at Klaus, while Caroline examined the paper. Klaus made an indifferent face, but he had never felt as exposed as under the eyes of this girl, which was really ridiculous. He was Klaus Mikaelson for crying out loud and she was just a small girl. A small girl who had his whole future in her hand.

"It's about the dance competition, remember?" Hope still scowled at Klaus and he didn't know how to handle her obvious protectiveness about her 'mother'. He just realised that he really wanted her to like him and that he didn't want to screw this up like Mikael had.

"Sure." Caroline said and signed the sheet.

"You'll come, right?" Her focus was back on Caroline.

"Of course!" Caroline caressed her wet hair and pushed some strands behind her ear. "Listen, Niklaus, will stay for a while, do you think you got room for one more fan?"

"Sure. Do you want to come?" Hope asked him. It didn't sound too friendly though.

Klaus looked at Caroline and regretted that he had upset her.

"It would be an honour."

Maybe she wasn't doing such a bad job.

* * *

_Thank you for the response to this story.=)_

_I am glad that you like it and I am curious as to what you are saying to this chapter...  
I have three more sitting on my laptop in which Klaus gets to know Hope and Klaus and Caroline get closer to each other, also a confrontation between Klaus and Rebekah.  
_

_So, what do you think? Should I continue? Anything else you would like to read?=)  
Looking forward to your response!_


	3. Chapter 3

_Hey=)_

_This is chapter 3 and I really hope that you like it. Thank you so much for the positive response. Again this chapter got longer than I planned (I just can't seem to manage to keep the chapters short! And I really try!) and I will post chapter 4 this week as well, because I'll be going abroad next week.  
_

_So, let me know what you think about this. =) (Sorry for the mistakes!)_

* * *

**Two days later**

"Why don't you show Niklaus your paintings while I clean up?" Caroline suggested.

Klaus had already been staying two days with them and she could tell that he had kept an eye on everything that she was doing. She found it quite disturbing, but then again she couldn't blame him. If she was in his shoes, she would probably act the same, maybe even worse.

It was probably not only the fact that he was Hope's father that made her so nervous, but the fact that he was still as handsome as he had always been and that he was stirring some feeling inside of her which she hadn't anticipated, at least not that strongly.

She caught herself staring at him, at his body and his hands and she wished that he would stretch out one of those hands to touch her; to chase goose bumps down her spine with one of those hands, but he had kept his distance so far and Caroline experienced other feelings as well. Feelings of disappointment, sadness and rejection.

He hadn't made any advances towards her and she tried to accept that he was only here for his daughter and that his feelings for her had long been resolved.

Maybe there was someone else?

A pretty witch probably…or maybe even two…

"Okay." Hope shrugged and jumped off the chair. "Come on." She led him up the stairs and into her small room that was entirely covered in art works. Klaus widened his eyes and was flabbergasted when he saw what he had stepped into.

Whatever he expected it wasn't this!

This looked almost like a gallery and a very beautiful one as well. The works were very different from one another with various motives; landscapes, animals, flowers, people and one or two modern art themes. Hope remained close to the door while she watched how Klaus walked into the centre of the room and closer to the paintings. She tried to read his expression, but she couldn't.

"Do you like them?" She asked finally after a few moments of silence.

"They are very good!" He exclaimed with surprise colouring his tone while he examined the works and really realised how talented she was. And there was a strange feeling lingering inside of him that he didn't know where to put. It came out of nowhere, but it came when he recognised the style of painting that was quite similar to his own.

Hope smiled slightly. "Mum said I got it from my dad."

Klaus froze. "You haven't met him, have you?" His voice was merely a whisper.

"No, mum says he is busy and that I will understand everything when I am old enough…Bullshit." She quickly covered her mouth. "Sorry!"

Klaus did as if he overheard the slip. "I am sure he has his reasons."

"Do you know him?" Hope asked and Klaus sighed admitting silently:

"I thought I did."

Hope looked at her toes and scoffed. "I think he simply left mum alone…for whatever reason." She mumbled, but Klaus heard her loud and clear.

He squinted. "Do you think she is lonely?"

"I know she is. She says she doesn't care about what the other people are saying about her, but sometimes, when she thinks she is alone, she sits in front of her window and just looks at the stars for hours with her phone in her hand."

Klaus gulped. His bodies felt hot and cold at the same time as his blood rushed into his stomach.

He watched how his daughter picked up a pencil and started to draw. Her eyes looked very concentrated and he wondered if he looked like that as well. He felt the urge to touch her, but he didn't dare too.

Later that night Klaus looked for Caroline and found her in her room, just like Hope had described her before. And he thought he'd feel a tiny needle punctuating his heart.

"Caroline?"

"Mh." She turned around to him.

They stared at each other for a moment. "I am sorry." His tongue felt heavy and dry in his mouth.

She shrugged. "Don't worry." But she was still hurt, either from his harsh words or his absent feelings she didn't know.

He didn't need to remind her all the time that Hope was not her daughter, because she knew. She knew it and yet she felt like she was hers.

He shook his head. "No, I am sorry."

Caroline stood up when he walked into the room.

The way he stood in front of her made her want to lean into him. He was Hope's father and she wished she could dump half of her problems, worries and thoughts on his shoulders. That she could share every responsibility. She wished that she wouldn't feel lonely anymore. She never had during their phone calls and now he was here in front of her and everything was different.

Or was it?

Klaus suddenly leaned forward and kissed her forehead. Her skin prickled. "Good night Caroline."

**One day later**

Rebekah entered the house like she had on so many mornings while Matt parked the car.

"Good morning Sunshine!" She called out, but froze when her brother walked out of the kitchen with a furious face. "Nik!" She gasped.

"Rebekah!" Klaus flashed forward grabbed her throat and pinned her against the wall. "What are you doing here?" He snarled and Rebekah choked.

A loud shriek sounded behind them through the whole house.

Hope stood on the stairs and looked utterly shocked.

Klaus loosened his grasp and Rebekah pushed him off her. "Nik, you moron! Honey, it's all right, I am fine! Come here." Hope hesitated, but then jumped into her arms and buried her face in her stomach. "See. Sh." Rebekah caressed her niece's hair soothingly and meanwhile Caroline had appeared on the staircase.

"Oh no."

"I would say so." Klaus said grimly.

The door opened again and Matt entered. "Hey Care…Klaus?"

Klaus threw a look at his sister and pursed his lips.

Caroline descended the stair and touched Hope's hair. "Are you okay?"

Hope nodded. Jealousy hit Klaus when he watched the scene unfold in front of him, because Rebekah was the only person in this room who was utterly honest. She really was her aunt; would always be and Hope knew that.

"Hope why don't you go and have breakfast with Uncle Matt?" Caroline suggested and Matt nodded immediately.

"Yes, kid, how about pancakes?"

But Hope didn't want to go and held on to her aunt while she looked distrustfully at Klaus.

"Everything is fine." Rebekah assured her and even Klaus nodded.

"I promise you that I won't harm your aunt."

Hope looked at him as if she tried to read his mind like she had tried before, but hadn't managed to figure out what he was stinking. She looked at Caroline then, the most important person to her currently in that room.

"And mum?"

Klaus looked at Caroline. "I have never harmed her."

Caroline's stomach fluttered.

Hope seemed to be soothed and Matt quickly whisked her away.

Klaus turned to Rebekah. "What the bloody hell are you doing here?"

"The only right thing: I support Caroline!"

"She did! Klaus, I couldn't have done it without her! You have no idea how hard it is to raise a kid on your own." Caroline defended Rebekah and Klaus didn't know what to say.

"Nik, what happened to 'family above all'? 'Always and Forever'?"

"After everything that you did, Rebekah!" He growled angrily referring to her betrayal when she sold him out to Mikael.

"Let me make it right again! Hope is my family and so are you. I love you, even though you have been such an ass! And I was the only one who always stood by you!"

"Klaus, Hope loves her! Please, think about your daughter!" Caroline pleaded.

"What a scheme Rebekah!" He snarled.

"It is no scheme you paranoid moron!" She yelled back at him.

"No!" Caroline agreed and kept defending Rebekah. "I went to her! I didn't know what to do, because Hope wouldn't eat. I was scared and I was alone. So I went to the only person I knew wouldn't harm her. Your sister; her aunt!"

Klaus stared at her and it was obvious that he tried to keep control.

However, he couldn't rip Rebekah from Hope's life, he knew that much. The kid would never ever forgive him if he did.

**Two days later**

Things had calmed down. Klaus kept avoiding his sister, but he didn't try to dagger her which was a progress, Caroline thought.

This afternoon Caroline saw that Hope was lounging on the couch. She was bored and simply flipped through one TV channel after the other. Flo obviously didn't have time for her today. Caroline bit her lip pondering. She looked at Klaus who was looking something up on the internet. She pursed her lips.

"Why don't you two get some ice-cream and get to know each other better?" Caroline suggested quietly looking from one to the other.

Hope raised an eyebrow and funnily Klaus mirrored the look, which made her struggle to suppress a smile. She had made it her mission to figure out every tiny bit that the two of them had in common.

"Why?" Hope asked a bit disinterested. She had become quite wary when it came to Klaus, ever since he had attacked Rebekah and there was one part in Hope that made her very very suspicious about Caroline's intentions. Why would she let her spend time alone with someone who had attacked her aunt? And why did she want her to get to know him? He was just passing through, wasn't he?

Caroline sighed. "Because I want you two out of the house to have some time for cleaning and you are both in my way." It wasn't entirely true, but she hoped that it would work.

Hope shrugged. She looked at Klaus.

Klaus looked warily at Caroline, who motioned for him to go with her.

Klaus swallowed. "Sure. Why not."

Hope groaned rolling her eyes. She could have spend the whole afternoon in front of the TV and now this…

On his way out Klaus looked at Caroline who whispered. "Come on Big Bad, you can do this."

He rolled his eyes.

Hope was already a few steps ahead f him, but he easily caught up with her. She didn't speak with him and he didn't think that she would make the first step which meant that he had to get a grip. Usually he would threaten her to force her, but this time he couldn't do such a thing. He had to be honest.

"I am sorry about your aunt. I really didn't mean to harm her. I have known her for a long time and we had a fight when we parted. I didn't think I would meet her here."

Hope cocked her eyebrows and stayed silent. No reason to go all 'Killer' on her.

Klaus sighed. "Look I promise you that we have resolved our issues. Do you think that we could at least try to get along?"

Hope bit her lips and tried to figure out what to do. After a while she shrugged. She could at least try to, but only because her mum seemed to want her to try.

"How did you get to know mum?" She asked curiously and she thought that a small smile passed Klaus' lips.

"It was quite some time ago. I…I was looking for a friend of hers."

Hope nodded. "And then you became friends?"

Klaus chuckled. "No, it wasn't that easy."

Hope looked really interested now and Klaus smiled amused.

"I had to save her life first."

Hope widened her eyes. "Really? Cool." She muttered.

Klaus couldn't help but smile. Cool.

"What's your favourite flavour?" She asked and Klaus was a bit taken aback.

"Hm?"

"Ice-cream. Your favourite ice-cream flavour."

"Uhm, well, I like lots of flavours."

"But what is your favourite one?" Hope pressed.

Klaus looked at her and thought about his favourite flavours. The first one that came to his mind was the ferreous taste of blood, but he didn't want to tell Hope that, so he kept thinking and then he remembered another flavour. And maybe that one really was his favourite flavour. His favourite scent that he also found in Caroline's hair.

"Peaches."

Hope grinned. "Mine too!"

She waved at a few kids.

"You have lots of friends." He stated, but Hope shook her head.

"Not, really. But Flo is my best friend and that's all I need."

"Why don't you like Aunt Rebekah?" She suddenly asked.

Klaus huffed. "I don't hate her, if that is what you mean. I have really known her my whole life and…and I…she's very important to me." Klaus not wanting to lie; not to her.

Hope frowned. "Huh?"

"I'll tell you that story another time, okay?" He was desperate for a change of subject.

Hope shrugged. Adults!

After a while of silence. "Niklaus, can I ask you something?"

"You can call me, Nik, if you like. And yes, you can."

"You're not the guy from the phone calls, are you?"

He frowned. "I am not sure I can follow you."

"Look, mum has always had her phone with her, because this guy would always call her and I really think she liked those calls, but now you are here and she isn't looking at her phone anymore every five minutes, so I thought I put two and two together." She smirked cheekily and Klaus huffed.

So she was smart. Too smart? What else would she figure out?

He had the feeling that she saw right through him. Something that only Caroline seemed to have managed to do so far.

He licked his lips. "Well, would you be disappointed if I was?"

Hope squinted. "Depends…Are you married to another woman and have a child with her?"

**A few days later**

Caroline had made herself comfortable on the porch swing with a book in her hands. Her naked foot was tapping in mid air to an inaudible musical tune. Life was good.

And somehow she had started to feel extremely better since Klaus had come back into her life. Even though she was still afraid and waiting for the moment that he would use to change her life forever and take Hope with him down to New Orleans.

But in those moments, when he was close enough to touch, she just wanted to stretch out her itching fingers, but she didn't dare to.

She sighed and tried to concentrate on her book again. Come on Clare Abshire, let me be part of your world for a little while, she asked turning the page and feeling the same longing that the protagonist felt.

After one or two hours she heard Hope's laughter reaching her ears from the street. Flo and her had been riding through the streets with their scooters and skateboards.

Everything was fine.

"Don't forget to copy me that CD!" Hope called to Flo before they parted.

"I'll do that now! Bye, Hope!"

Caroline heard the squeaking of the garden gate and noted that it could need some oiling. She would do that later.

"Hey mum."

"Hi." Caroline said while she finished reading the sentence she had just started.

Hope walked towards her. "What are you reading?"

"I am…" Caroline looked up and gasped. "Hope!" She jumped to her feet forgetting the book that fell onto the floor. Caroline came close to Hope and wanted to touch her, but she pulled her hands back. "What happened? Oh my god!" The familiar feeling of panic put strong ropes around her lungs and pulled tight.

Hope frowned and stayed totally calm, while her mother seemed to freak out. "Mum…"

"Get inside, come on." Caroline quickly ushered her inside. "Klaus!" She called when they entered the hallway. "Oh my god! Niklaus!"

"Mum! Calm down, it's just a little sunburn, nothing to worry about!"

Klaus descended the stairs to figure out what the commotion was all about. He quickly took in the scene. Hope's face and arms were bright red and Caroline looked helplessly at him, keeping her distance, because she was afraid to touch her.

"What is going on?" Hope demanded to know, when she saw how Caroline looked at Klaus who came closer to examine her.

"We…we have to put something onto that." Caroline said and tried to think about what to organize first. "I…I could get something from the store…I…"

"Sweetheart." Klaus put his hands onto her shoulders and looked straight into her eyes. "Calm down! -Does it hurt?" He asked Hope who shook her head and shrugged being still oblivious to what had caused Caroline so much stress.

"No, I feel fine. Seriously, everybody gets burned someday, right?"

Caroline held her breath.

Klaus hesitated. "Well, most of the people, yes. Why don't you lie down a bit. I'll get you something you can put onto that."

Caroline stared at him flabbergasted, but Hope just shrugged. "Okay." She left for the living room, while Klaus gently pushed Caroline into the kitchen.

Before Klaus could ask about her distress Caroline already hissed. "Did you see her? She could have burned up! What if she had caught fire and burned down into a pile of ashes?" Caroline pulled at her hair. "Oh my god, the sun was never an issue! I wouldn't even have noticed! Does she need a daylight ring?" Caroline whimpered when Klaus grabbed her hands to pull them out of her hair.

"Sweetheart, calm down." It actually stirred something tender inside of him to see her worry so much about his daughter's life. She would probably risk her life for the girl and that was something that he could never repay her. "She's is neither in pain, nor did she burst into flames. Didn't you tell me that she is only developing her nature? What about her wounds?"

Caroline frowned trying to remember what she had told him. "They wouldn't heal at first."

"What about her strength and hearing?"

"That is only just becoming stronger."

"What about her fangs?"

Caroline shrugged. "I don't know if she already has them." Suddenly she got the meaning. "Oh! You mean that this is some sort of development? Like…like puberty or something?"

Klaus shrugged. "To tell the truth, love, I have no idea. You might want to ask Rebekah about that."

Caroline stared at him, but when she saw his smile she realised that he had made a joke and Caroline chuckled half heartedly.

"I will get her a daylight ring, just in case and even something to put onto the wounds, okay?"

Caroline looked at him with a sweet relieved smile and she was very aware of the hand that rubbed soothingly over her arm.

"I'll only be an hour or two."

She nodded. "Thank you…Niklaus."

He smirked at her and left behind a tingling sensation in the air, when he left the house.

Caroline sighed. What a mess!

She prepared a few towels with cold water and walked into the living room.

"Here, put them onto your arms."

"What was that all about?" Hope asked.

"I just…overreacted…sorry."

Hope shook her head. Sometimes everyone just acted strange, especially her mother and her aunt.

Caroline settled down next to Hope on the couch and tried to shake off the confusing mix of feelings of worry, relief and gratitude towards Klaus. He had been so calm, when he was probably worrying himself. It would soon be time that Hope got to know about her real heritage.

"So what do you think about Niklaus? You get along okay?" Caroline asked Hope who nodded.

"He talks funny, but sometimes he is really scary. He has this look when you don't know what is about to happen next."

"I know, but he doesn't mean it." Caroline quickly said and she knew that she was lying. Most of the time Klaus did mean every kill, but she couldn't let Hope know that.

"Nik told me he saved your life."

"What!?" Caroline's eyes widened.

"Did he?"

"Yes, but…" Caroline groaned. That _charming_ hybrid had turned the whole story around once again and of course left out the most important parts of him being the one who would her in danger first. "Yes. He can be nice when he wants to be." She grumbled between her teeth.

Hope nodded.

The wheels turned inside of Caroline's brain. "Wait a second. _Nik_ told you?"

"I am allowed to call him that. Aunt Bekah does and I think it sounds cool."

Caroline grimaced. _Of course it does._

"I think he has a crush on you."

Caroline choked. "What!?"

Hope grinned. "He is always staring at you and he told me how beautiful you looked on your first date and your prom and graduation."

Caroline's jaw dropped.

* * *

_The book Caroline is reading is "The Time Traveller's Wife", if you want to know.=)_


	4. Chapter 4

_Chapter 4 my lovlies!=)  
_

_See you at the bottom!_

* * *

**A few hours later**

Hope had been delighted when Klaus had given her a very pretty ring. She had never gotten jewellery from anyone and on top of that he had given her something for the sunburn which was really nice of him, so yes, Hope did like him.

Klaus closed the door to her room, sent a text message and met Caroline in the kitchen.

He had plans for tonight.

"Caroline?"

She turned around to look at him and offered him a glass from the blood bag that she had prepared for herself. He smiled.

"Would you let me take you out tonight? It's the least I can offer as an apology and a thank you."

The words let her heart flutter with both fear and happiness. Would this be the end?

What was she going to do without Hope? Travel the world like Klaus had promised her?

Just that she would do it on her own instead?

"What about Hope?"

"Why not let her aunt babysit her for one night?"

"You are serious, aren't you?" She saw it in his eyes.

Klaus nodded.

There was a short knock on the backdoor before Rebekah opened the door unceremoniously. "What do you want Nik?"

"Caroline, would you please give us a minute alone?" Klaus asked and Caroline left the room.

Rebekah crossed her arms and stared defiantly at her brother. "What?"

Klaus clasped his hands behind his back and straightened. "I would like to apologise, sister."

"You…what? Did Elijah told you to do so?"

Klaus shook his head. "No, you can accept my apology or leave it, that it is your choice and you can make everything up to me by taking care of Hope for tonight."

Klaus' tone was neutral and hadn't wavered. Rebekah was speechless and didn't believe her ears.

"So? What are you saying?"

Rebekah swallowed. "Yes, I…thank you Nik."

He nodded.

"You know I never wanted to hurt you, right?"

Klaus didn't answer.

"So, why do you need a babysitter?" She smirked. "Are you going to take Caroline out?"

Klaus shrugged. "It is none of your business, but I might."

"Then you should know that Caroline thinks you are going to take Hope away from her." Rebekah added in a whisper and Klaus frowned at his sister.

Caroline had meanwhile got dressed and said good bye to Hope.

Klaus had to catch his breath at how beautiful she looked in her dress. He held the door to his car open for her and she smiled. "Thank you…_Nik_."

He grinned. "I have been told that it sounds cool."

"It might." She mocked.

They drove into town to have dinner in one of those really fancy restaurants and during the whole meal Caroline anxiously waited for that one sentence. For her sentence that would kill her past few years. But it never came.

Klaus laughed with her and she really enjoyed her evening with him. She found herself staring into his eyes and she noticed that she couldn't stop; that she fell deeper and deeper for him.

When Klaus took them home late at night Caroline decided to confront him about her worries. He parked the car and she asked.

"Klaus, what was this all about? If this was my payment for taking care of Hope then please tell me! I can't take it anymore! Please, let me off the hook and just tell me that this is the end!"

Oh no! What was she going to do now?

She waited but Klaus just stared at her with a soft seriousness that she wasn't used to. He took her hand into his. "Caroline." The word rolled gently off his tongue and Caroline's stomach churned with butterflies, but she was still waiting for her sentence. "I am not here to take Hope with me."

She blinked when his words reached her brain. "You are not?"

He shook his head leaning closer to her. "No." He breathed and his sweet breath reached her lips. She parted them invitingly and Klaus brushed his against hers. Her eyes closed and she felt his lips moving lovingly against hers.

But she put a hand on his chest and shook her head.

"I have to know that you won't just disappear again. Even though, I am not her mother. I feel responsible for her. And I just have to know…"

"I won't disappear again. I promise." He grinned and Caroline rolled her eyes.

He became serious again. "You are a great mother, Caroline. Even if you don't think so, but I have noticed the struggle you're going through."

Caroline sighed and smiled.

And he realised he didn't mind anymore that Hope called her mum. Maybe he never really had.

He closed the distance between them again and suddenly everything disappeared. Everything disappeared into the warm confinement of his arms and Caroline let go. She clutched his shirt and buried her nose in his chest taking deep steady breaths. She squeezed her eyes shut. Klaus caressed her back and her shoulders started to tremble. He wanted to withdraw and take a look at her but Caroline wouldn't let go of him. "Sweetheart, are you crying?"

Caroline shook her head no but stayed hidden while all of the anxiety she had felt over the years manifested and left her eyes in a liquid condition ruining his shirt. Klaus tightened his grip around her and buried his face in her hair. He hadn't noticed how much he had really missed her until now.

**Another two weeks**

"Are you coming or what?" Klaus marvelled at how much energy Hope had. They had decided to go hiking and Caroline had subtly excused herself, because she wanted to give them some more alone time together and Klaus was silently wondering how much time it took until Caroline decided that it was safe to tell Hope the whole truth. Surely the girl wasn't that fragile…

Then again he had learnt to trust Caroline enough for her to make the decision.

"Hey Nik. Can I show you something?"

He frowned. "Sure."

"But you have to promise me that you won't freak out!"

He tilted his head. It would take a lot to freak him out. There was almost nothing that he hadn't seen so far. "I promise."

"Really?"

"Hope, what is it?"

She positioned herself under a tree and took a deep breath.

Within a blink of an eye she was gone. Klaus blinked because usually Elijah was the only one who could manage to escape him like that.

A pine hit his head and he looked up at the tree. Hope stuck her head through the branches and jumped down again. When she saw that he wasn't scared she stepped closer.

"I am becoming stronger and stronger. I thought it was cool, but I don't know anymore. But you're different too, aren't you?" She was very attentive and for a second there Klaus wondered if he should deny it, but he didn't see any reason to lie to her face when she asked.

"Well, yes I am."

"Show me."

Klaus knelt down in front of her. "Don't be scared." She nodded.

And his eyes turned yellow and his fangs elongated and his veins snaked out under his eyes.

The sight triggered something in Hope and she transformed too.

Yellow eyes. Hybrid.

Klaus gasped and transformed back and so did Hope.

"Mum is different too, isn't she? I have seen it, but she doesn't know that."

"You mustn't tell anyone, Hope, do you hear me?"

She nodded. "I know." Besides she had already told Flo, but adults didn't need to know everything, right?

"What are we?"

"Unique. We are half vampire and half werewolf; hybrids."

She laughed. "Ha, yeah, sure Frankenstein." She was totally Caroline's daughter.

Klaus looked utterly serious.

"Seriously? Hybrids?" Hope asked him.

"Your mum is a vampire, just like your aunt is."

"Oh my god!"

**Back at home**

"Mum, can I see?" Hope asked excitedly and seriously at the same time. She didn't really grasp the whole complexity of the consequences that would come to her yet. She just finally knew exactly what she was and she was excited that her wish came true and that her life would finally become more exciting, just like in the movies she was watching all the time.

"No! You told her?" Caroline turned to Klaus.

"I…" Klaus started but Caroline interrupted him.

"You told her!" She repeated accusingly. She was furious! He told her without talking to her beforehand. Had he even the slightest idea about what would happen to Hope's life now? How she would be trying to find out more about it? About vampirism and everything that came with it? She watched Supernatural, Buffy, Charmed and The Vampire Diaries for god's sake!

Caroline ruffled her hair.

"Why don't you want me to know?" Hope asked.

"Hope, please go to your room."

"But mum! It wasn't his fault! It was mine!" Hope tried to defend Klaus, but Caroline had other things on her mind right now.

"Now!" Caroline commanded.

Hope stomped her foot, but marched upstairs slamming the door shut behind her.

"She has a right to know!" Klaus hissed angrily.

"I am trying to protect her from people and from nightmares!" Caroline retorted glaring at him.

"She cannot protect herself without knowing!"

"She will freak!"

"Caroline you don't give her enough credit." Klaus shook his head. From what he had seen, he figured that Hope indeed was smart enough to keep it a secret. And she wasn't that easily frightened.

"She's too young to know." Too innocent, Caroline added in her mind. She didn't want that sweet girl to get caught up in the crossfire of the darkness that lay ahead of her. She wanted to keep her a little longer.

"I didn't tell her everything."

"Does she know that you are…"

"No."

"She'll figure it out…now that she knows that you two are the same." Hope was too smart to not figure it out. "…we will tell her!" Caroline decided.

"What?" Klaus was taken aback and maybe even a bit shocked. He had not thought that the moment would come this soon. He had wanted to ready himself for the moment. He thought he would be relieved, but suddenly he just wondered: Would Hope be disappointed?

"We have to now!" Caroline urged, not wanting Hope to find out on her own.

**Half an hour later**

"What's going on?" Hope asked when she entered the living room at Caroline's request. It surely had something to do with her future.

"Niklaus and I need to tell you something." Caroline started and motioned for Hope to sit down.

"Tell me what?" She asked indeed sitting down opposite of the adults.

Caroline bit her lip and looked at Klaus. How to tell her?

He stared indifferently back at her.

"Mum, you're scaring me!" Hope said when she was only met by their cryptic glances.

"Sorry, honey. Look, Klaus, I mean Nik, he…" She took a deep breath. "He is your father."

"What?" Hope's mouth dropped. This was the last she had expected.

"It's true." Klaus confirmed calmly and waited for her sentence.

Hope just stared from one to the other with wide eyes and an open mouth, while she tried to figure out what to say next. "Wha…What? Then why didn't you tell me!?"

"Honey…" Caroline started but Hope shook her head stopping her. Her stare met Klaus'. She just looked at him while her jaw ticked and suddenly Caroline was reminded of Klaus. There were tears in her eyes, when she yelled with an edge in her voice. "Where have you been all the time?"

Hope remembered all the times, when she had wished that she had a dad; the times she had imagined her dad to be some James Bond agent and the times when she had wanted Matt to be her dad.

"I…" Klaus wanted to answer, even though he didn't know what.

Hope screamed. "Why now? Why did you decide to come now?"

"There is so much you don't know." Klaus said in a low voice shaking his head, which only disturbed Hope even further.

"Then what else didn't you tell me? What other lies did you tell me?" She asked looking at Caroline.

Caroline had tears in her eyes. This was the time to come clean. "I am…"

But Klaus cut her off and took her hand. "Nothing. Rebekah is my sister and your aunt. We have another brother; your Uncle Elijah."

Hope suddenly ran out of the room and out of the house.

"Hope." Klaus called, but Caroline held him back.

"Let her calm down." She sniffed.

"She hates me!" Klaus said feeling like he had lost everything, a feeling that he had never ever anticipated. How could this girl mean so much to him?

Caroline noted his distress. She had assumed that this would hit him harder than he had ever suspected. She felt the urge to reach out to him and sooth him, despite her own guilt. "No! She's upset! That's normal! I promise you that she'll calm down! But we should have told her everything!"

"No." He cupped her face. "If I realised anything it is that family is not only about blood ties. You are her mother, Caroline." For the first time he really wanted his words to be true.

"She will figure it out." Caroline sobbed.

"But she has enough to chew on for now."

"I don't want to lose her." She said and Klaus brushed her tears off her cheeks.

"And I promise you that you won't, because I really wish she was yours." He admitted silently and he was surprised that the words had slipped his lips so easily. He swallowed hard. Since when was he wearing his heart on his sleeve?

But it felt right to do so in the confinement of Caroline's small house where no one but her would hear it. Besides he didn't feel like he had to hold back anything with her. She gave him a feeling of security and home that he had never felt before. Maybe that was what made it so easy for him.

"What about Hayley?" Caroline sniffed.

He gently pushed her hair out of her face. "Did you forget? She died giving birth. Let's not think about that now, okay?"

Caroline nodded and Klaus pressed his lips to hers in a small but comforting kiss.

Caroline sighed and put her hand up to his cheek. "Let's wait until she gets back."

They sat down on the small couch in the living room, where Klaus pulled Caroline onto his lap and held her close to his chest. He had realised that he wanted to have this family and that he would do everything for it to work out, even if he had to step out of his ways.

Caroline fell asleep quickly and only woke up after an hour. Klaus had not moved the whole time. He had simply held her and tried not to look at the clock every minute.

Caroline stirred and stretched now. She looked sleepily at Klaus.

"What happened?" But as soon as she had said the words she remembered and straightened. "Has she come back?"

He shook his head. "No."

"Let's go look for her." Caroline decided and wanted to stand up, but Klaus held her back.

"Caroline."

She looked questioningly at him. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know if I can do this." He admitted silently.

"Do what?"

He took a deep breath before he laid bare his soul. "Being a father." He avoided her eyes knowing exactly what kind of look she was wearing.

Caroline put her hand against his cheek. "Don't give up yet, Klaus! You hardly know her."

He stood up to put some distance between himself and the heavy feelings he felt when he was close to her. He wanted to scream at the top of his lungs. He didn't need pity, but he didn't know what to do. He was torn. "I have not had the best example myself." She suddenly got now where this was coming from remembering Mikael. "What if I cannot reach her expectations? What if I fail?" Klaus asked and Caroline had never seen him like this. This vulnerable. This helpless.

Caroline shook her head. "You won't."

"How can you be so sure about that? How can you say that when my own father detested me and I have no idea how to be different."

She remained calm and walked towards him. "Because I won't let you!"

He swallowed staring at her.

"I will help you as good as I can." She extended her hand towards him. "Let's go talk to her."

He took her hand without hesitation then and leaned in to plant a kiss onto her forehead. She was too good to be true.

**Later**

"She always comes here when she is angry." Caroline explained while they made their way through the back yard of an abandoned house. Caroline let go of his hand now afraid that Hope would see and only get more worked up.

They came to stand in front of an old tree. Klaus looked up and saw a small tree house up in the branches.

"Matt helped Flo and her build it." Caroline explained and Klaus gulped wondering if he would have ever thought about something like that. "Hope!?"

"She's not here!" Flo stuck his head out of the small hole that functioned as a door.

"Flo, tell her that we just want to talk to her." Caroline said knowing exactly that Hope was there, because she could hear her breathing just as well as he could.

"But she doesn't want to talk to you." Flo replied.

Caroline quickly squeezed Klaus' hand who became rigid. She knew that he would usually do something totally inappropriate if she let him, but she needed him to stay calm now or he would ruin it forever. She pleaded with him with her eyes and Klaus bit down hard on the inside of his cheek until he drew blood. He tried to draw steady breaths in order to remain where he was and Caroline acknowledged it pleased.

"Okay, but do you think we can at least tell her that we're sorry and explain everything?"

"I don't want to hear it!" Hope yelled.

"Honey please! You cannot stay out here all night!"

"Yes, I can!"

"Hope please." Caroline pleaded.

"Hope?" Klaus suddenly spoke up and Caroline looked at him and hoped that he wouldn't lose his temper. She prayed that he would stay calm and not say anything stupid now.

"What!?" She sounded really aggressive.

Klaus took a deep breath and Caroline anxiously mirrored his breathing as if she could somehow influence him. "I am sorry, but it was never my intention to abandon you! I had no choice."

"Please Hope come home!" Caroline said.

Hope stuck her head out of the tree house and glared at both of them. "Why did you have no choice?"

"I would rather not talk about this here, honestly. Can we agree that you come with us and I will tell you everything?"

**At Home**

Hope crossed her arms defiantly the minute they walked through the door.

"What was so important that you left us alone?"

Klaus sighed. He did note the use of the term 'us' that she had thrown in there and Caroline did as well. She was nervous about it. She was nervous about what Klaus was about to say.

"I am not a good man, Hope. You may be aware of the fact that vampires…hybrids…are almost immortal and I have made a lot of enemies over the years of my life. Vampire, werewolves, witches."

"Werewolves? Witches?" She raised her eyebrows.

"Yes."

She didn't say anything.

"Many of them want to hurt me and they could easily have, if they knew you existed. So, we faked your death and brought you far away, we hid you hoping that no one would ever find you."

She scoffed. Great!

"Sweetie?"

"When did my life turn into a freak show?" Hope suddenly yelled. "Someone call the Winchesters! This is insane! All I worried about was my High School graduation and now my father is some high and mighty hybrid whose enemies want me dead? Wow!"

She went to her bedroom and smashed the door. That was just a tad too much!

Klaus looked at Caroline who shook her head.

"She'll be fine." She assured him. "She has to let everything sink in." She was glad that he hadn't gone into any details yet.

"I shouldn't have come." He said.

"No! It's good that you came! Don't leave her now!" Caroline quickly assured him and a big part of her winced adding: Don't leave me. But she didn't dare to say that out loud.

"I cannot do this! I am ruining her life!"

"You have ruined so many lives Klaus! How can you say something like that now? You are her father and I did everything I could, but there is one thing that I can never do."

He looked at her.

"I cannot replace you."

"You are better off without me."

"Who is better off without their parents? Please Nik don't!"

Suddenly Hope was back. Her hearing obviously got better and better.

"I swear to God if you walk through that door now then you are dead to me!"

Klaus stared at her defiant stance that again reminded Caroline of either Klaus or Rebekah. Klaus noticed it too and it rendered him speechless.

"I am not leaving." He finally said and she nodded before she went back to her room shutting the door loudly.

**About an hour later**

Caroline knocked at Hope's door and opened it quietly.

"Hey. Are you okay?"

Hope was lying on her bed about to go to sleep.

"Yeah."

Caroline tried to smile. "We'll talk tomorrow then, okay?"

"Okay." Hope mumbled.

Caroline turned around to leave again, but Hope called her back.

"Mum?"

"Yes?"

"I…" Hope looked at her and struggled for words. She couldn't say whatever was on her tongue, but Caroline knew what she meant.

"I know, honey. Me too. Everything will be fine, I promise! Now, go to sleep, I'll see you in the morning."

Silently, she closed the door behind her.

On her way to her bedroom she met Klaus in the hallway.

"She'll sleep now."

He nodded and looked softly at her, not really knowing what to say.

"Good night Caroline. I'll see you tomorrow."

He wanted to walk to the only guestroom in the house that he was currently occupying.

"Nik." Caroline stopped him.

He liked it when she called him that. It sounded less hostile and more like she was already a part of him, which for him she was.

She fiddled nervously with her hands. "Uhm, you don't have to sleep in the guestroom, you know. Uhm, you could…well, you could stay with me, er, if you like, uhm…" She sighed and dropped her hands admitting. "Honestly, I don't want to be alone tonight." But to be utterly true she didn't ever want to be alone again. She was tired of not having anyone around. She had dated a few men, not many though and never at home, because of Hope and, and also because of Klaus if she was honest, even though she bet that he has had other women himself. And who knew how many.

But right now Caroline forgot about all that, because his eyes looked so unspeakably gently that she forgot to breathe.

"Are you sure?"

He stepped closer and Caroline nodded.

A small smile ghosted over his lips. "Truth be told, me neither." He neither wanted to be alone.

Caroline took his hand then and led him into the bedroom.

Klaus gently put the covers over her and slipped underneath it himself.

He placed his arm over Caroline's stomach and scooted closer, spooning her. The butterflies in her stomach went wild. How long had she waited for this?

She breathed in his scent.

"It's good to have you here." She mumbled and Klaus pulled her closer. Maybe they could make it, she dared to hope. Maybe.

"It's good to be here."

She snuggled deeper up against him. He gave her strength. Strength she sometimes thought she didn't have, but he always proved her wrong.

**Next Morning**

They opened the door and ran directly into Hope in the hallway.

She raised her eyebrows.

Caroline sighed. "Let's not discuss this in the hallway, okay? I'll get dressed." She quickly disappeared into her bathroom leaving Klaus and Hope alone. She had her arms crossed and stared at him. Reminding him awfully lot of Elijah.

Why was he never sure of what to say to her?

"Well…how about breakfast?" He asked but Hope kept staring seriously at him, as if she was about to dagger him.

He walked downstairs and puffed his cheeks. Kids were more straining than he had thought.

Hope followed him quietly.

Klaus started to make coffee, which was what he needed right now and also the first thought he had in mind.

But then he looked at the girl at the counter and realised that he wasn't alone anymore and that he shouldn't put his needs first anymore. "Pancakes?" He asked.

Hope tilted her head. "Okay."

He was glad that he had something to do, but he was still glad when Caroline arrived 15 minutes later.

Witches, warlocks, werewolves, vampire: no problem.

His own daughter: scary as hell.

Caroline pulled her hair up into an untidy bun and looked amused at Klaus when she saw that Hope was munching on a pile of pancakes. He shrugged at her and instead offered her a mug.

"Coffee?"

"Thank you."

Hope watched their interactions and swallowed the rest of her pancake. "What is going between you? Are you together now or something?" She frowned.

Klaus and Caroline looked at each other. Were they?

"Are you?" Hope pressed.

"Would you be okay with that?" Caroline asked carefully.

Hope shrugged. "Why did you separate in the first place?"

"Well, that's…complicated…" Caroline started and Klaus grimaced._ Yes, love, considering that we have never really been together in the first place, you could consider it complicated._

Hope snorted. Complicated.

That was the lamest Facebook status ever. Relationship? Complicated.

Please!

"So, are you just together because of me then?" There was venom in her voice. "Did you even want me? Or was I just an accident?"

Caroline gasped. "Hope, you mustn't think that! Don't even think that for one single moment!" She commanded in her motherly mother-knows-best tone.

Even though she knew better, Caroline tried to do everything for Hope to feel loved and Klaus loved her even more for that. He wouldn't have known how to do that and in the end she would have turned out to be like him. Resentful, cruel, temperamental, harsh and heartless.

Klaus spoke up and shocked Caroline with his next words.

"Hope, you were not a mistake. Your mother's relationship with me might not have been easy in the past, but rest assured that I always loved her."

Caroline's eyes were watery when she caught his look. There was a big lump in her throat that made it hard for her to swallow. "Took me too long to realise that I did too."

She mumbled and there was a flash of something in Klaus' eyes. Hope. Maybe beatitude.

Hope frowned at them. There was something they didn't tell her, but it was obvious that they loved each other.

Caroline wiped her eyes. "Hope, we will do this at your pace." She told her and sat down next to her. "At whatever pace you are comfortable with."

Hope put her fork down. She looked at Klaus and then at Caroline. "Well…"

"What honey? You can say anything you want, don't be afraid."

Klaus nodded and agreed with Caroline silently.

Caroline took her hands and stroked them with her thumbs. "What is it?"

"It's always been just the two of us."

"Nothing between us will change. I will not have less time for you or even love you less. I couldn't!"

"I am not here to take your mother away from you." Klaus said. "But maybe you will allow me to spend some more time with you?"

Hope nodded slowly. "I guess, that's okay. There's another thing."

Klaus raised his eyebrows.

"Vampires can have kids?"

Caroline pursed her lips. "Not exactly."

"It was a loophole." Klaus said. "You are the first. One of a kind."

Hope blinked. "Wow."

**Later that day**

"So, did I get this right? You were the first vampires?" Hope asked and Klaus and Rebekah nodded.

"Yes."

"And you are like a thousand years old?" She scrunched up her nose. "So, will I become that old? Will I stop growing at some point? How does that work?"

Klaus puffed his cheeks and shook his head. "I am sorry, but I cannot answer that question."

Rebekah quickly put her hand onto Hope's knee. "But we will figure it out and we will do anything to protect you." She assured and Klaus nodded.

"Everything."

Rebekah's phone rang and she smiled after she read the message. "Your uncle Elijah would love to meet you some time."

"You told him?" Klaus asked.

"Of course I did! He is our family Nik and he has a right to know now that Hope knows everything."

Klaus huffed. "That doesn't mean you can go blabbing it around. It is still a secret!"

"And Elijah doesn't know that? Nik, wake up!"

He was just about to retort something mean when he stopped himself, because Hope started to chuckle.

"Sorry, this is just too surreal!"

Klaus glared at her but Rebekah shook her head at him and he quickly struggled to calm down.

This would be harder than he had ever thought.

Caroline stood in the doorway watching everything carefully. "You will get used to their bickering."She addressed Hope and smiled lovingly forcing Klaus to drop his scowl towards her.

Caroline winked and Rebekah was grinning from one ear to the other. "Well, look at this. I knew you two would come around again."

"Indeed, aren't we one big happy family?" Klaus asked sarcastically, but the women around him just grinned.

**One week later**

"Are you going to watch a movie with me?" Hope asked.

Caroline was already getting the popcorn out instead of answering. "What are we watching?" She asked even before Klaus had said anything.

Hope grinned and Caroline dropped her stance.

"Oh, not again!"

"But, mum!" Hope made dreamy puppy dog eyes. "It's Rob…"

"Robert Downey Jr. I know!" Caroline finished her sentence. She sighed. "Fine!"

Hope left quickly to get the DVD ready.

Klaus frowned. "Who is Robert Downey Jr?"

Caroline grinned. "The other man in your daughter's life apparently."

Klaus raised his eyebrows and Caroline left with the popcorn for the living room.

"Are you coming?"

They entered the room when the Marvel logo just disappeared from the screen.

"Don't be too shocked to figure out that your dad is not into the really modern stuff." Caroline mocked.

Hope turned around. "You don't know the _Avengers_?" She asked and Klaus opened his mouth.

He glanced at Caroline. "Not really, no."

Hope grabbed the remote and jumped onto the couch between Caroline and Klaus.

"Then you missed something!" She decided making herself comfortable.

Caroline grinned amused at his expression and Klaus wasn't sure if he should laugh or not.

He was surprised at the taste of his daughter. It wasn't what he had expected but then again, what had he expected?

He actually laughed when Caroline repeated all of Robert Downey Jr's lines because she had already watched the movie about a hundred times with Hope.

"Mum, shush!" Hope complained and threw some popcorn at her which made Caroline laugh. It sounded like chiming bells.

During the end of the movie Klaus suddenly noticed that Hope seemed to scoot closer to him until her head rested tiredly against his shoulder. She could hardly keep her eyes open and Caroline wished she could take a picture of Klaus' confused face. It was cute how helpless he was.

The credits started rolling.

Caroline stopped the movie and looked at Klaus who watched his daughter sleeping against him. He smiled faintly and Caroline loved to watch the scene with the butterflies in her stomach going wild.

But it was late.

"Are you going to take her upstairs or should I?"

He quickly shook his head. "No, I'll do it."

He carefully grabbed her, afraid to break her.

Caroline leaned back. Maybe life wasn't that unfair after all.

Upstairs, Klaus gently laid Hope down on her bed.

She blinked.

"It's okay, go back to sleep." He whispered and Hope snuggled up into her pillows.

"Good night…Dad."

Klaus froze.

Dad.

It sounded strange, but at the same time he had never thought that such a small word, so few letters, could ever make him this happy and could mean more to him than anything ever had.

* * *

_So this is it!=)_

_At one point I thought it is too fluffy, but I didn't feel like rewriting it again, so, whatever...;)_

_What do you think?_

_Thank you for all of your reviews and the support!=) It means a lot!_

_xxx_


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